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Geddes supervisor to meet with Cuomo today about the NY Safe Act

Gov. Andrew Cuomo Visits Solvay

Governor Andrew Cuomo joins local officials at the Solvay Geddes Youth Center for his announcement of development plans for the western shore of Onondaga Lake. He's talking with county executive Joanie Mahoney. At far left is Assemblyman Al Stirpe and at far right is Town of Geddes supervisor Manny Falcone.
( David Lassman | dlassman@syracuse.com)

SYRACUSE, N.Y. - Geddes Supervisor Manny Falcone is on his way to Albany to talk with Gov. Andrew Cuomo about the NY Safe Act.

And many who oppose the governor's gun control efforts are watching.

In preparation for the trip, a top Cuomo aide and a New York State Police official briefed Falcone about the stricter gun laws, according to Falcone. Onondaga County Joanie Mahoney, a fellow Republican who Falcone has sparred with in the past, called Monday evening to wish the supervisor good luck.

Falcone said he's looking forward to the meeting, which is supposed to start at 1 p.m. on the second floor of the state Capitol.

"I'm just happy to be able to sit and talk with him," Falcone said this morning before starting his drive. "I'm not going to lambaste him either. I want to have a conversation with him. That's what I want to happen. And I think it will."

Falcone, a critic of the stricter gun laws, took some heat last month when he welcomed Cuomo into town without publicly denouncing the governor's successful efforts to ban high-capacity magazines, require registration of certain semi-automatic guns and limit shooters to putting seven cartridges inside a clip.

A fourth person, Mike Mastrogiovanni, was supposed to make the trip, but he found out Monday morning the governor's office had concerns about his presence in the meeting, according to Falcone and Mastrogiovanni.

Mastrogiovanni is a member of Shooters Committee on Political Education, an anti-Safe Act group that is suing the state in federal court over the gun laws. Mastrogiovanni wants the Safe Act repealed, though he said he is not a named plaintiff in the lawsuit. But he acknowledged the group has been deeply critical of Cuomo.

"We have not been kind to the man," Mastrogiovanni said. "I cannot exactly surmise why I was kicked off the team... I've been pretty vocal and active against the Safe Act. And I think that's why I'm not there."

Mastrogiovanni said he was disappointed to miss the meeting. He said he had several questions for the governor: Why were the gun laws were rushed through the New York State Legislature with no time for public input? Why hasn't the governor reacted to the vocal criticism of the laws? Why hasn't the state mailed letters to let all New Yorkers know exactly how the new laws work?

Mastrogiovanni said critics of the Safe Act are following Falcone's trip to Albany today.

Falcone, for his part, says it's unrealistic to think the state will repeal the entire Safe Act, which also increased penalties for people who commit crimes with guns, carry guns onto school grounds and use shared "community" guns in certain illegal acts.

Still, he thinks the governor would benefit from more directly acknowledging some of the criticism about the laws, such as the seven-bullet maximum which a federal judge in Western New York has struck down.

"If I did something wrong, or not 100 percent, I would admit it," Falcone said. "It'd be better if (the governor) said some of this was done a little hastily. I think he would look a lot better in the public's eye if he would do that."